The third ODI between Bangladesh and Pakistan at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur featured an impressive opening partnership. Bangladesh’s opening duo of Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Saif Hassan set the stage with a 105-run stand, crucial for their innings in this series-deciding match.
Tanzid Scores 63 in Strong 105-Run Opening Stand
Saif Hassan contributed 36 runs off 53 balls before losing his wicket to Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 19th over. This marked Bangladesh’s third-ever century partnership for the opening wicket against Pakistan in ODIs. At the same time, Tanzid Hasan remained strong, finishing with an unbeaten 63 off 54 balls.
Powerplay Performance
- Bangladesh reached 50 without loss at the end of the Powerplay.
- Tanzid scored 30 runs from 33 balls, including a couple of boundaries.
- Saif supported with 17 runs from 27 deliveries.
Despite attempts from the Pakistani bowlers, they failed to take a wicket in the first ten overs of the game.
Match Context
This match was vital as the series stood tied at 1-1. Bangladesh won the first ODI by eight wickets but faced a heavy loss by 128 runs in the second match, which was decided by the DLS method. Following the second match, Bangladesh decided to field an unchanged squad, while Pakistan made three changes due to player injuries.
Key Player Changes for Pakistan
- Wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori and all-rounder Saad Masood made their ODI debuts.
- They replaced the injured Hussain Talat and Shamyl Hussain.
- Pacer Mohammad Wasim was replaced by leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed.
A victory today for Bangladesh could see them climb from 10th to 9th place in the ICC ODI rankings. The team’s lineup consisted of notable players such as Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and task force members Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.
As the match progressed, Tanzid and his new partner Najmul Hossain Shanto aimed to consolidate the solid start provided by the opening pair.
